This development comes on the same day as the poll body suspending all election campaigning in nine West Bengal Lok Sabha constituencies starting April 16 post 10 pm. The ECI decided to curtail election campaigning in Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, South, and North Kolkata in wake of clashes that broke out in north Kolkata on Tuesday.

The poll body has invoked Article 324 in wake of violent clashes in north Kolkata on Tuesday that broke out between TMC and BJP supporters during BJP national president Amit Shah’s roadshow.

The poll body observed, “The Commission is deeply anguished at the vandalism done to the statue of Vidyasagar. It is hoped that the vandals are traced by the state administration.”

Further, the ECI said:

EC: ADG CID, Rajiv Kumar stands relieved and attached to MHA. He should report to MHA by 10 am tomorrow.Principal Secy,Home &Health Affairs WB govt stands relieved from his current charge immediately for having interfered in process of conducting polls by directing WB CEO. pic.twitter.com/2AOEbIX7uR— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2019

On the other hand, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too held a press conference late Wednesday and attacked the BJP and the Modi-Shah duo for the skirmish that took place on the streets of Kolkata during Shah’s roadshow.

North Kolkata witnessed a major clash on Tuesday evening between Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party workers during the roadshow of BJP national president Amit Shah. Several were injured in the clash and in the ensuing violence, the bust of social activist Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar kept at Vidyasagar College was also destroyed.

Speaking to the media, Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata said, “Amit Shah created violence through his meeting, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar statue was vandalized but Modi did not feel sorry for that today. People of Bengal have taken this seriously, action should be taken against Amit Shah.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a no holds barred attack on the BJP and the Prime Minister also fired, “Never seen this type of EC. It’s full of RSS people.”